When You Least Expect It
by Cocomango
Summary: Sometimes, we look for love in the wrong places. Future fic.
1. Like Chocolate Frosting

**DISCLAIMER:** Gilmore Girls isn't mine. All characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB.

**AN:** This is a new story I'm working on. Before you start to read, you might be interested to read by blog entry (cocomango . blogspot . com/2005/11/new-fic . html) first. There are some thoughts, warnings, and explanations there about this story and why I'm writing it.

And of course, I'd like to thank my friend, **M (Season4.5)**, for beta-ing this for me. This is just the prologue. Enjoy!

**When You Least Expect It  
01: Extra Chocolate Frosting**

Tristan was bored.

Looking at his watch, he realized that it was time to leave since he had already stayed for over an hour. Placing his glass on the small table beside him, he stood in his full height and made his way towards the front door.

It was no surprise that several women, young and old, turned when he passed them. The moment he entered the room, women swarmed to him like bees to honey. Some gave him smiles while the others gave him seductive looks that didn't do anything for him. Two or three even ogled his backside.

He was almost home free when an elegant elderly woman walked in front of him. He was ready to ignore her and continue with his journey to freedom when the woman stopped and looked at him.

"Hello, dear," the woman said.

Tristan almost groaned. Please, let this be not grandma number five for the nights. But good breeding taught him to be respectful and polite. "Hello, ma'am. Good evening."

"I believe I've seen you before," the woman said, assessing him with her hawk-like gaze.

Of course she had. They were in the same society circle, weren't they? "I'm Tristan DuGrey, ma'am," he said, still pouring over the charm.

"Oh please call me Emily," she said, waving her hand. "So you're a Dugrey. Then you must be Janlen's grandson."

Tristan smiled genuinely at the mention of his grandfather's name. "Yes, ma'am."

"Emily?" said a booming voice behind them. Emily turned and faced the older gentleman. "Richard, this is Tristan DuGrey, Janlen's grandson."

"Ah! Really? A fine gentleman, your grandfather."

And so it started…again, the small talk, the polite conversation.

But sometimes, life throws a few good surprises, like extra chocolate frosting.

Rory had no plans of joining her grandparents that evening. However, Emily Gilmore could be persistent. Even though she was now more comfortable in these parties than before, there were times when she still felt out of place.

Spotting her grandparents, she also saw the young gentleman they were talking to. He looked familiar with his blond hair, blue eyes, and towering height. He reminded her of her ex-boyfriend, Logan. But this man had presence and he was more…captivating.

She watched them closely and saw the look on her grandmother's face. Warning bells started ringing. She just hoped that Emily wasn't selling her once again to this man. Her feet started to carry her to their direction and stopped as soon as she reached them.

Tristan saw her even as she was walking towards them. He felt as though he had met her before. She had brown hair and blue eyes, nothing spectacular about the way she looked, but hers was more of a quiet beauty.

Did he just say quiet beauty? That sounded gay.

"Ah, Rory," Richard greeted her granddaughter. "This is Tristan DuGrey, the grandson of a dear friend of mine."

Rory's eyes widened and her mouth formed an "o".

It was ironic how the people you thought you had forgotten and had locked away in your memory came back into your life and turned it upside down.

"Hello, Rory," Tristan greeted without mockery or teasing in his voice.

"Tristan, hi," she managed to say.

Richard cleared his throat. "Now why don't we leave you kids alone to catch up?" Emily nodded and let her husband lead her away.

Rory smiled. "I'm sorry about that."

Tristan tilted his head. "About what?"

"My grandparents. They just left us here to…catch up."

Tristan let out a chuckle. "Yeah," he said. "They weren't being subtle, were they?"

Rory laughed and shook her head. Finally, their laughter died down, and she suddenly felt shy.

A waiter with a tray stopped and offered them caviar and hors d' oeuvres. Tristan's stomach grumbled but refused to eat any of the fare. "So, are you having a good time?" he asked.

"Yeah…"

Tristan's pearly whites appeared. "Really?"

Smiling sheepishly, Rory said, "No, not really."

There are times when friends can make you feel awkward, and semi-strangers can make you feel at ease.

"I was just about to leave and I'm really hungry. Would you like to join me to grab a burger or something?" Simple. Direct. To the point. No pressure.

At the mention of real food, Rory's eyes lit up. "Does it go with fries?"

"And milkshake."

"I'm in."

The night may not be so boring after all.

TBC...


	2. Mere Acquaintances

**DISCLAIMER:** Gilmore Girls isn't mine. All characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB.

**AN**: Again, I'd like to thank **M (Season4.5)**, for beta-ing this for me. And to all the reviews, thanks so much. They're awesome. Here's the next installment. Hope you all enjoy this one.

**When You Least Expect It  
02: Mere Acquaintances**

"And where do you think you're going, young lady?" a mischievous voice said behind them.

The pair turned and saw Lorelai looking at them with a glint in her eye.

"Oh, hi, Mom. Tristan and I are hungry we're getting something to eat," Rory explained, her words rushed.

Lorelai's face contorted in disgust. "Something to eat? Don't tell me that you've learned to appreciate food that my mother would serve."

"No, we were gonna go somewhere to get burgers and milkshake," Rory replied.

A gasp escaped Lorelai's lips. "And you were gonna leave me all alone here in this hell? Rory bit her lip, waiting a bit too long to answer. "I was going to tell you."

"Liar! You were gonna sneak out, leaving me here!" Lorelai accused.

"No, I wasn't!"

"Yes, you were!"

"I wasn't"

"You were!"

"I'm sorry!"

Lorelai grinned. "That's all right," she said, giggling. "I did the same thing when I was younger…although I was years ahead of you. I'm so proud, Honey!"

"Mom!" Rory's cheeks turned pink.

"What? Soooo…aren't you going to introduce me to this delectable young man?" Lorelai asked, her mouth curling into a Cheshire grin.

Tristan stuck out his hand. "Tristan DuGrey, Ma'am."

Lorelai took his proffered hand. "Hello. My name's Lorelai Gilmore. You called me Ma'am. Prepare to die."

"Sorry."

"Call me Lorelai."

Eyes dancing, Tristan replied, "As you wish."

Lorelai's jaw dropped. "You know _The Princess Bride_? Inconceivable!"

"Of course," Tristan said with a cocky grin. He turned to Rory. "So, when do we get to the kissing part?"

"You wanna kiss my Mom?" Rory asked, smirking.

Tristan paused before he cocked his head. "Sure. I think your Mom's hot."

Lorelai bounced. "Oooh…you get points for that. But sorry, Kiddo, you're not my type. I think you're more of Rory's type. Blonde…rich society boy."

They say that three's a crowd. But nobody ever said that being a third wheel could be fun.

"Mom!"

"What? I'm just telling the truth. Limo boy is blonde and a society boy, complete with the attitude and parents from Snobsville."

"Logan didn't have an attitude," Rory argued.

"Of course he did! He could be the spawn of Dennis Rodman."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Rory scowled, "Logan could never be his spawn."

"Why not? Dennis Rodman's hair used to be blonde. Logan is blonde. Ergo, Logan could be Dennis Rodman's spawn."

"Your logic is twisted, Mom. One of the rules is that one premise should be universal."

"Hey, don't you use your college education on me. And since when did I follow rules?" Lorelai cried.

"So who's Limo boy?" Tristan finally asked.

Lorelai answered. "Limo boy is Logan Huntzberger. He was Rory's ex-boyfriend."

"Mom, I do not want to talk about Logan."

"Why not? I thought you were over him?"

"I am. I just…I'm not comfortable discussing him with…others."

"Others? Tristan is not 'others'. You were about to go out on a date with him. You were gonna leave me! For a man!"

Rory turned red. "Lorelai, behave," she scowled.

Lorelai waved her hand. "Fine, fine. That's just because you know I'm telling the truth."

Tristan chuckled. "Come on, Rory. How about that burger with fries and milkshake I promised you?" He turned to the elder Lorelai. "Why don't you join us, Lorelai?"

She shook her head. "Nah, I don't want to intrude. And besides, I need to get home."

They made their way to the front door when another guest stopped them.

"Tristan," a feminine voice called out.

The trio turned to see an elegant woman with blond hair and blue eyes.

"Mom," Tristan said, a smile on his lips. His companion looked at him surprised.

"Leaving so soon?"

"Yeah. I got hungry and decided to get something to eat."

"Are you sure that's what you're going to do?" she asked, a mischievous grin gracing her delicate features.

"Yes. What are you thinking?"

"Oh nothing. I thought you were going to take these lovely respectable ladies back to your place…and do whatever you do."

It was Tristan's turn to turn red. "Mom, you know I don't do that."

She raised an eyebrow. "Anymore, you mean." Rory and Lorelai laughed.

"Of course not!" Tristan said indignantly and Alice laughed. "By the way, this is Rory and her mom, Lorelai," he said. "And this is my mom, Alice DuGrey."

The women exchanged greetings. "It's good to know that somebody can actually put you in place," Rory told Tristan.

Tristan opened his arms. "Just tell me where you want me."

"Tristan, play nice," his mother admonished, her voice teasing.

"Rory, what did I tell you? No fighting with the boys you like," Lorelai said.

The mothers laughed at their children's shocked expression.

"Well, I have to go. I have to save your father from Mrs. Stanley. His ears are about to bleed from hearing her talk about her grandchildren."

"Have you thought of an excuse why you need to leave early this time?" Tristan asked.

"No. What if we tell everyone that your dad and I suddenly decided we want another baby so we need to go home and have sex?"

"Mom!"

--

Coffee was still her favorite drink. However, there are times when chocolate milk shake sound just as good.

"So, how have you been, Rory? What happened after I left?" They were at a diner just ten minutes away from the house where they were earlier.

"Well, Paris and I became friends, she was president and I was her vice-president senior year, and we both ended up going to Yale. We were even roommates." She took a sip of her milkshake.

Tristan's forehead folded. "I thought Paris wanted to go to Harvard? It was her goal in life…at least when we were in high school."

Rory bit her lip. "She was too good for Harvard."

Tristan nodded, clearly understanding what she meant. "I can't believe you and Paris became friends. I thought she was going to murder you back then every time you got a higher grade."

A strand of brown hair fell over her face and she pushed it back behind her ear. "Things change. Paris is nice; it's just that she gets really intense."

"She has always been like that even when we were in kindergarten. She would threaten anyone who played in the monkey bars since that's where she usually plays."

They both laughed at the picture of little Paris with her eyes shooting daggers at anyone who got in her way.

"So Logan Huntzberger, huh? Didn't know you were into rich society boys. I was surprised when your mom mentioned him," Tristan said slowly, feeling as though he was treading on thin ice.

She pursed her lips. "She should have not said anything."

"Hey, if you don't want to talk about it, it's fine."

Shaking her head, "No, it's fine," then proceeded to tell him the Cliff's Notes version.

To say that Tristan was surprised was an understatement. He was surprised and shocked with everything Rory had undergone. But she was still Rory. It was in the way she talked especially about her strained relationship with her mother at the beginning of the Logan years, and how she still disliked attending parties with the rich Hartford society.

"How come you guys aren't going out anymore?"

Rory sighed. "I didn't want to be a trophy wife, and Logan couldn't defend me to his parents. I don't want to change my life for him and I don't want him to change his life for me."

"What if he was willing to change for you?"

She shook her head. "And I know he enjoys his life just drinking and hanging out with the LDB."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No, but I know that he would hate me eventually for that. I want him to change because he wants to, and not because of any other reason. Not even for me."

Then silence, both parties contemplating on what was just recently discussed. Until she broke it.

"Enough about me. Let's talk about you. How have you been?" she asked.

He cleared his throat. "Good."

Rolling her eyes, she prodded, "And?"

Well, the night of the play, my parents decided to send me to military school. But right the following year, they transferred me to another school, somewhere closer to home."

"Which school is this?"

"Blair Academy. It's actually in the next city."

"How come you didn't go back to Chilton?"

"Didn't want to."

Rory frowned. "How come? You were the king of Chilton. Everybody knew you. You were popular and all."

"I couldn't go back. I didn't want to go back." At Rory's questioning glance, he explained that he and his parents didn't always have the best relationship. Back then his dad was always too busy, never had time for his family, and he hated him for it. That night of the school play, he and his friends decided to play a prank…for Tristan, it was to get his father's attention. Little did he know that his wish would come true.

She just listened, trying to understand the teenager that was Tristan. So that was why he called her names, hardly went to class, and was in different kinds of trouble.

"I don't know when, I don't know why, but while I was there, my dad decided to…fix our family. Suddenly, he wanted to talk, wanted to be involved in my life, wanted to be…a father."

It wasn't easy. Tristan pushed his father away, never wanted to give him the time of the day. But his mother asked, but never begged, him to give his father a chance, coaxing him. "Eventually, I did. And it's been good. Glad I did."

Rory regarded her companion and her thoughts went to the Alice Dugrey. The way she and Tristan interacted told her that they were pretty close and different from the other families who belonged to Hartford's elite circle.

"Military school did teach me a thing or two and I didn't want to go back to Chilton because I didn't want to go back to my old ways. So they enrolled me at Blair, which is closer to home than North Carolina."

"Wow…"

"Yeah."

"And after that?"

"After that isn't as exciting. Went to Harvard and now I'm a professor, believe it or not."

"Never would have guessed. Where and what do you teach?" Rory was about to take a bite of her cheeseburger when Tristan answered, "I teach American history at Boston University."

The burger stopped its journey to her mouth and Rory stared at Tristan.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

"No, it's just uhhh…I work for the Boston Globe."

Old acquaintances…by some twist of fate you see them again. It's a nice surprise when they turn out to be more that what you expected. And this time being mere acquaintances isn't enough.


	3. What He Thought He Wanted

**DISCLAIMER:** Gilmore Girls isn't mine. All characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB.

**AN**: **M**, you're the best! To all my reviewers, thanks so much! I really appreciate it!

**When You Least Expect It  
03: What He Thought He Wanted**

"So where is lover boy?"

Rory walked over to her kitchen, shifting the phone from her left ear to the right. "What are you talking about, Finn?"

Finn scoffed. "Don't lie to me, Love."

"I'm not. Look, I have to go. Tristan's picking me up."

"So I am right. You're going out on a date with him."

Rory rolled her eyes as if Finn could see her. "You know what? I think you spent too much time in Stars Hollow after Logan and I broke up. Ms. Patty and the entire town's nosiness must have rubbed off on you."

Finn shuddered. "As much as I love Stars Hollow, I don't think I can stand being surrounded by Ms. Patty and her cronies."

"That's your fault for offering her a drink. She thought you were hitting on her," Rory said, laughing when someone knocked.

"I was being polite," Finn huffed.

"Right. Look, I have to go. Tristan's here."

"All right, Doll. Take care."

She clicked the "off" button then opened the door. "You ready?" Tristan asked, "or do you need a few more minutes to do whatever it is you women do?"

"No, I'm ready," she said, grabbing her coat.

He led her to his silver Audi and opened the door for her.

"I see that chivalry isn't dead. How nice. Did you learn this in charm school?" she teased, a grin on her lips as he got inside the car.

He shrugged. "Habit." Turning on the ignition, music from the Black Eyes Peas filling their ears.

"What are you listening to?" Rory asked, reaching for the dial.

"Back off, Gilmore. Don't touch my radio." He peeled the car from its parking.

Rory crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine."

"I know you don't approve but my car, my music." Rory Gilmore was a brat and a snob. Funny thing is she had this way of having men at her beck and call without looking and sounding like one. Maybe it was because she looked innocent with her wide blue eyes and freckled nose. But it's about damn time that someone refused to give her what she wanted, even if it's as silly as changing the music.

She shook her head. "You still need to learn a lot about music."

He chuckled. "I like my choice of music just fine."

Compromise was a good thing. It made things easier and more pleasant. It does not hurt that it also brought two stubborn people closer to understanding each other. Sort of.

She turned to face him, an idea forming in her mind. "What if I lend you some of my CD's so you can learn how to appreciate them?"

"What? And make me listen to girlie bands or weird music?"

"Hey! My music does not only compose of girlie bands. And they're not weird."

"Whatever makes you keep your coffee in your stomach."

"I'm not giving up, Tristan. Lane will totally freak with your music."

Tristan had heard a lot about Rory's best friend and her legendary CD collection. She must be the Imelda Marcos of CDs. "Ok. How about a swap? I'll lend you my CDs and you lend me yours. Deal?"

Rory bit her lip. "Oh, ok!"

--

"What exactly do we need to buy?" she asked as they entered the mall.

He sighed. "A gift for my cousin's kid. I don't know exactly what to get."

"Ok. Is it a boy or a girl? How old? And what's the occasion?" They started walking to the direction of the department store.

"Boy. One. Birthday slash Christening."

"Wow. Could you be more a little excited? I mean, after all it is your cousin's son."

"I just don't feel like attending the party."

When Rory tilted her head with a question on her face, Tristan said, "I'll explain to you later. Right now, we need to look for a gift."

The pair went to the children's section and started looking. She suggested toys such as a rattle or a rubber ducky, and he looked horrified. "Please, I don't want my nephew to turn into this weird Sesame Street character."

She slapped Tristan's arm. "Ernie is not weird! I happen to think that he's cute and funny."

He looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "Whatever, Ror. I think he's in the same category as that fat bear who wears a red shirt without underpants."

"Ugh! You're disgusting!"

They continued to search for a gift and Tristan spotted a toy car with remote control. "Ooh how about this one?" he asked, his face showing excitement that rivaled a child's on Christmas day.

"Tris, that's not a toy for a twelve month-old boy." She took the plaything from him and turned the box. "See? It says here for 5-9 years old."

"Oh. Right." They walked along the shelves until Tristan stopped and grabbed another off the shelf, a plastic sword this time. "En garde!" he yelled, his stance like one of a fencer.

Rory laughed. "Ok, D'Artagnan, I don't think the baby will appreciate your gift. He'll just probably drool on you gift."

Scowling, Tristan said, "Grab a sword and fight like a woman!"

Her mouth twitched. This could be fun. When was the last time she acted silly and carefree? Grabbing a light saber, she muttered, "May the force be with you."

The two played sword, not caring that they were in a store. After a few minutes, they finally agreed on a truce, and continued on their search for a gift. Half an hour later, they had their purchases gift wrapped and decided to get coffee. "You're paying," she said.

Tristan snorted. "I always pay."

"Well it's not my fault that you won't let me." She turned to the barista and gave her order of double espresso and Tristan ordered brewed coffee. They found an empty table and Rory gave him the look.

"What?"

We don't always know what we want. Most of the time, the thing we thought we wanted and fought hard to attain wasn't what we desired after all.

"You said something about not wanting to attend the birthday party of your nephew. How come? I thought you were close."

They were and it wasn't that he wanted to avoid him or anyone back home. It was nagging and nosiness, especially from his mom, on having a girlfriend, getting married, and having children. "My mom wants grandkids." He shuddered.

"What's wrong with kids?" Their names were called for their drinks. "So?" she asked as soon as Tristan returned to their table with their coffee.

"Nothing's wrong with having kids. I don't think I want to have kids…or even get married," he said and took a sip of his coffee.

Shocked, Rory slowly put down her cup and frowned. "Really? Are you serious? I mean…how come?" she asked, wrapping her hands around her cup.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Eventually, maybe, I don't know. But just not right now. I don't think I'm ready."

She didn't know what else to say. "That's what they always say."

"Yeah…but I just can't see myself as a family man."

"You just love being a bachelor too much," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Damn right I do. No nagging wife and no screaming kids who'll drive me crazy."

Her face turned somber. "That's a sad outlook, Tristan."

--

It was an intimate gathering and only family and a few close friends were invited. Everyone wanted to carry the baby. They cooed and played peek-a-boo while the little cherub chortled and clapped his hands.

Tristan felt someone sit beside him and heard a sigh. Turning, he saw his mother looking at baby Liam. Oh no. Here it comes. He decided to keep calm. "Hey, mom."

"Tristan," Alice greeted, giving her son a smile.

"So, this is a nice party." He stalled.

"Uh huh. It definitely is," she said as she continued to survey the people around them. There were adults talking and drinking while children were running around the garden.

"Yup." He was about to make an excuse when she said. "Your cousin is lucky to have finally met the love of his life. And now they have a son."

"That he is."

"What about you? Tristan, when am I going to have grandchildren? I really envy your Aunt Grace," his mother pouted.

Damn. "Umm I don't know. Maybe in the future. Yeah—"

Rachel, his cousin-in-law, who was carrying what seemed to be a bundle of baby clothes, walked up to him with a smile. "Tristan! Thanks so much for these. They're beautiful."

"Oh. You're welcome. Rory helped me pick them."

His mother's eyes lit up. "Rory?"

Double damn.

"You know what? I think Rory's a really nice girl. Pretty, too!" She took the baby clothes from Rachel and looked at them. "And she definitely has taste."

Rachel grinned. "Rory? Is she your girlfriend?"

Tristan almost laughed. He knew they would assume that. "Nah. She's just a friend. "

Alice raised her brows. "Are you sure?"

He rolled his eyes. "Course I am." Suddenly starting to feel annoyed from the women's questions, he stood from his seat. "Hey, I need to go to the bathroom. I'll talk to you later."

"Don't think we're finished with this conversation, Tristan."

"Yes, we are." Mothers. They're too nosy and meddlesome for their own good.


	4. Romance Novels and White Picket Fences

**DISCLAIMER:** Gilmore Girls isn't mine. All characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB.

**AN**: **M**, you're the best! Thanks so much for beta-ing for me. To all my reviewers, thanks so much! So here's the latest installment of When You Least Expect It. Enjoy! R&R please.

**When You Least Expect It  
04: Romance Novels and White Picket Fences**

It had been two months after their first meeting and since they lived in the same city with only a few acquaintances, they hung out with each other often enough that they formed a friendship easily.

They both did wonder how come they couldn't have been friends since their Chilton day. Rory blamed it on Tristan. She said he was a jerk. Tristan blamed Rory. He said she was a snob and had formed stereotypes even before she started. This brought several arguments and banters between them. But finally, just to settle the issue, they agreed to disagree.

He saw her in their usual spot in the café and made his way to her. Her head was bent and it was no surprise that she was reading a book. "Hey, Mary! Mornin'." he greeted. "What's the novel for the day?" he asked, pointing at the book she was holding. She jumped and when she looked up he noticed that her eyes were glassy and her nose was pink.

Shaking her head, Rory closed her book and placed it on her lap table. "Oh, nothing interesting."

This piqued his curiosity. Usually, Rory would talk about whatever book she was reading at the moment. His eyebrow rose. "What is it? Let me see."

"No!"

Now he was really curious. "Why not? Come on. Show me," he said, his hand outstretched, palm facing up.

"Really, it's a boring book."

He grinned. "You're not reading porn, are you? Or those romance novels?" When her cheek's turned a darker hue of pink, his grin widened. "You are! Come on, let me see it."

She held up the book and scowled. "Are you happy now?"

He plucked the book from her, perused it, and shook his head when he was done. Love. Passion. Forever. These were the words that popped out. He couldn't believe that she read these types of stuff. Sure she loved to read. All kinds, different kinds. But he was pretty sure that she was still picky when it came to her reading materials. "You really read this tra—thing?" he asked incredulously.

"Why? What's wrong with reading a romance novel, huh?"

He tried to hide his smile. "Nothing." But he couldn't help himself and started laughing. "Unless you're one of those hopeless romantics who wished that they were like the heroine, who think that there is a man out there just for them."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "What's wrong with that? What's wrong with wanting to have romance? To have passion, love, and live happily ever after with someone?"

A sigh escaped her lips as she stared off into the other side of the room. There, a couple sat together, laughing. They looked so in love, laughing and gazing into each other's eyes.

Tristan gave a nod of thanks to the waitress who served them their late lunch. He was starting to wonder what brought this on. "Did something happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, here you're reading a romance novel and crying."

"I wasn't crying!" she defended.

His eyebrow rose. "I'm sorry, but weren't those tears in your eyes I saw? Look, I'm just wondering if something happened that suddenly you're…like this."

Silence stretched between the two for a moment. Rory didn't know what and how to explain it to Tristan so he'd understand, especially knowing that it was the exact opposite of what he wanted. "I got a call from Logan. And he's getting married," she said quietly.

Tristan waited patiently, but when she didn't continue, he started to wonder if she was now starting to regret breaking up with Logan. "Do I need to beat him up and make him see that he's making the biggest mistake of his life by marrying someone else? 'Coz it sounds like you're not over him. Or else it wouldn't bother you," he explained.

"No, it doesn't bother me. Not in the way you think," she explained. Even though they've broken up, she and Logan decided to remain friends, but it wasn't a comfortable relationship. It would never be like her relationship with Stephanie or Finn. "It's just that when he called he sounded so excited and happy. Logan, of all people! He was never into commitment at all, except maybe when we were dating."

"This bothers you because you're still in love with him?" he asked, his voice hollow.

"No, I'm over him." She rubbed her temples. "I just envy him."

"Why?"

"Because he finally found the love of his life. She had always thought that she was like her mother, who didn't need a man to make her happy. But she realized that she wanted it. She wanted to have someone be there for her, with her, to share her life with. "Where's mine?"

Tristan was speechless. He wasn't sure how to answer because he didn't think he believed in it. It never crossed his mind that Rory would be.

"I mean Buttercup has her Westley, Jane has Mr. Rochester. Even Paris! Gods! Paris has Doyle And despite being scary and being…Paris, Doyle just seem to adore her."

"Tsk tsk. What did your mother tell you, Thumper?"

"I know! I'm sorry. I'm really happy for her! But I'm just wondering. Why? Why don't I have that? I just…I want to meet the love of my life who'd turn my world upside down and sweep me off my feet!"

Every woman's fantasy. Rory wasn't an exception.

"I want to get married and be together in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, till death do us part! I want to live in a house with a rose garden and white picket fence. A family with 2.5 kids and a dog!"

Every bachelor's nightmare. Tristan was one of them.

"You don't like dogs."

"Not the point." Rory wasn't finished. And so the rant continued. "And when we're old my husband and I would take walk together and hold hands. He'd still tell me I'm the most beautiful woman in the world for him, and would just tease me about my weight."

Tristan leaned both his elbows on the table and frowned. "You've been watching Brady Bunch reruns, haven't you?"

"No."

"7th Heaven?"

"No."

"Good. I thought I had to make you watch One Tree Hill and The OC," he quipped.

"Tristan!" He could see she was about to cry and he sobered. "Where's my Darcy? My Romeo? My Rhett Butler? When am I going to meet the love of my life? When am I going to have my fairytale that would end with happily ever after?"

"You need to scratch Romeo. He died."

--

Almost a week later, Rory was on the phone talking to Tristan.

"Yeah, I can't wait for this day to be over. Hey, you want to do something tonight? Movie marathon? Dinner?"

Rory continued to type on her computer. "Sorry, I can't."

"What are you doing tonight, if you don't mind me asking?"

They say that if you want something so badly, wish hard and make it happen.

"Well, I…I have a date."

There was a five-second pause. "Wow! You work fast. Who's the guy?"

"A colleague of mine set me up on a blind date. His name is Aaron."

Tristan took a sip of his tea. "Well, good luck! I hope this Aaron guys is 'the one'."

Rory laughed. "We'll see."

"Ok. Have fun later!"

"Thanks!"

Four hours later, Rory was sitting in an elegant restaurant black skirt and cream sleeveless turtleneck. It has been only an hour since he picked her up and she was starting to regret agreeing on going on this blind date. Her date has been talking non-stop and it was making her ears hurt and tired.

"And I have a dog, and he's just the most beautiful thing in the world. He's a basset hound. Do you have dogs? I mean do you know what a basset hound looks like?" Aaron asked.

"Is he like Dino?"

Aaron's eyebrows furrowed. "Who?"

Clueless. "Oh, nothing. Does he look like Odie?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't even know what kind of dog Odie is. But as I was saying my dog is the most beautiful creature on earth. He's really smart too. He can roll over, fetch, and stand on his hind paws..."

"But aren't those what normal dogs usually do?"

"Yes, but Sport does them more gracefully."

Rory fought hard not to move her face muscles. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to roll her eyes of laugh. But being a nice person that she was, she decided to smile and excused herself. Once she was in the toilet, she took out her cell phone and pushed speed dial 3.

It was dark except for the light by the bar, and the music was upbeat. Tristan was having drinks with his friends when his phone started ringing. He saw her name on the screen and answered.

"Rory."

She let out a sigh of relief. "Tris, I need to ask a favor. Could you call me on my cell phone after five minutes?"

Tristan looked at his watched. "What? Why?"

"Please just do it. And just go with whatever I say, ok? I'll explain everything later." She shifted the phone to the other ear.

"All right." He had a hunch that Rory's date wasn't going so well. Why would she call him halfway through it?

Rory returned to her seat and five minutes on the dot, her phone rang. She gave Aaron an apologetic smile and took the call. Although she knew that it was impolite to take a call at the dinner table, she needed to do this to execute her plan. "Hey!

Tristan answered, "Hey?"

She continued her monologue, her voice changing from chipper to worry. "Really? Are you sure?" She paused dramatically. "Ok, ok, I'll be right there in a jiffy." Flipping her phone closed, she turned to Aaron. I'm sorry to cut our date short, but there has been an emergency." She said goodbye and quickly left the restaurant.

She drove home and when she got to her empty apartment, she changed into her pajamas and got ready for bed. But before she went to sleep, she decided to call someone…or two.

"Lorelai's Shop of Horrors!" Rory heard her mother chirp.

Rory smiled. "Hey, mom! So what exactly can I buy from this new shop?"

"We have a lot of stuff to offer! We have Frankenstein costumes, Boogeyman masks. We even have life size posters. Mel Gibson in a bikini to Cher in a dominatrix costume."

"Do you have Michael Jackson in a tutu?"

"Hmmm…no, but we might just have that soon."

Rory laughed. "So how are you guys?"

"Oh, we're fine, except for your dad. Ms. Patty still harasses him." Lorelai had loved Luke. She actually thought they were going get married and share their lives together, but she realized in the end that it always goes back to Chris. It has always been him.

Chris knew her, knew her quirks and idiosyncrasies, and he accepted all of those and loved her for them. They'd come a long way. It had been hard and painful. They tried to stay together even after having Rory, but they were too young to handle the pressure and finally decided not to. Chris went away, trying to make himself worthy of his family, and Lorelai and Rory. And when they thought that everything was going smoothly and decided to give it another try, he got his girlfriend pregnant.

All was lost and she started dating other men and then Luke. He had always been there for her and her baby girl so why not? She was ready to marry him when they discovered he had a daughter. The wedding had been pushed back until she asked him to finally make a decision. That night, she ended up sleeping with Chris. She was sorry for hurting Luke, but it somehow led her back to Chris. It was a ride on a motorcycle on a dirt road. And eventually, they reached the end and the paved road began. It was finally right.

She asked about her half sister and brother. "And Gigi and Adam?"

"Gigi's great. She's enjoying school just like you did. Adam, well he's torturing mommy! It's hard to leave him because he runs and crawls. He can't stay still in one place."

"Why don't you leave him in his play pen?"

"Coz he would cry! Brat! Got it from your dad's side of the family."

Then she heard her dad's voice. "I heard that, Lorelai!" Then her mom giggled. "Is that Rory?"

"Ror, your dad's wants to talk to you."

"Hey, kiddo! How are you?" Chris asked his daughter. He might have missed out on a lot of things when it came to her growing up, it didn't mean he should stop trying. He didn't want to miss out on her adulthood. She'll always be his baby girl.

"Hey, dad. I'm fine. How's everything going?"

"Great! Except for your mom's complaints about Adam. I don't know why since I watch Adam more than half the time!"

"You do not!" Lorelai's shouted over the phone. Chris laughed.

"Whatever makes you sleep at night," he told his wife, smiling at her.

"Oh, you're doing a great job in tiring me at night," Lorelai said coyly.

"Just at night?"

"Ok, fine. Even during daytime."

"And I'll be glad to do it for the rest of my life."

Rory cringed, disgusted. "Ew ew ew…daughter still on the phone! I can hear you, you know! Ok, I think I'll talk to you guys some other time when you're not in your flirting mode," she huffed. A feeling of heaviness settled in her chest as she listened to her parents flirt.

Chris sobered. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah. I'll talk to you later, Dad. Love you."

"Love you, too."

"Bye." She dialed another number and waited.

"Hello?"

"Tristan. It's me, Rory."

Tristan leaned back against his pillows. "Believe it or not, I actually know your voice."

"That's a relief. At least you won't mistake me for one of your women lest that you start talking dirty."

He snorted. "So how was the date tonight? What happened?" he asked, and then Rory explained everything. "I'm sorry Ror. But hey, look on the bright side. You don't have to worry about having pets."

She laughed. "It's fine. I mean I don't want to have a relationship with someone who might love his dogs more than me. I don't think I'll be able to stand the competition."

"Come on, Rory. Any boyfriend would love you more than they would love their pets."

Rory smiled, warmth filling her belly. "Thanks, Tris. That's so sweet of you."

"Well, what do I get in return?" he said, his voice low. "Do I get a thank you kiss?"

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't help her cheeks from turning pink. "I knew it! I knew you'd turn this conversation into something lewd."

He chuckled. "But it's so much making you blush," he said, grinning. "Seriously, Rory, don't worry. Maybe the next guy who comes along will be the one."

"Yeah, maybe."

--


	5. Not What She Wants

**DISCLAIMER:** Gilmore Girls isn't mine. All characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB.

**AN**: **M**, you're the sweetest, ever! Thanks so much for leeting me bother you to beta for me.

Whoa! AN update in a week! That has got to be a record. To all my reviewers, thanks so much! Read and review please. Let me know what you think.

**When You Least Expect It**  
**05: Not What She Wants**

Smoke wafted in the air as Tristan puffed his cigar. In his right hand he held his cards that would make him win this round. There were two players left; the others had folded.

"Action to James," Harold called.

It was poker night with the boys. It didn't happen often since he only joined them once a month since he really wasn't into gambling.

James looked at his cards, then at Tristan who gave him a blank look. He knocked on the table twice. "Check."

The dealer turned to Tristan. "Action to you, Dugrey."

Tristan pushed two stacks of chips to the center. "Raise to 500."

James narrowed his eyes at Tristan, trying to decipher whether he's bluffing or not. He couldn't. "Damn you, Dugrey!" he swore and threw his cards in the middle.

Tristan grinned, threw his cards to Harold, and gathered his chips.

"So how's that friend of yours, the Gilmore chick?" one of his friends, Caleb, asked.

--

On the other side of town, four pretty girls were at a table talking. In the background the sound of a piano playing resonated.

"So do you still feel giddy and excited when you see each other?" Rory asked Eleanor.

Rory missed her girl friends. Lane. Paris. Even Louise and Madeline. But she was glad she had made friends with Lydia, Eleanor, and Emma. The first two were her colleagues and Emma was Lydia's friend from college. They were having a girls' night out.

"Sometimes. I mean, we've been going out for two years now so there isn't much excitement as there was before," Eleanor answered.

"Well, that's good," Lydia piped in. "I always thought that the relationship would be boring after two years."

Eleanor toyed with her fork. "Well, it's really up to you to make it interesting and exciting. And it's nice to have someone in your life who really knows you."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Emma said. She turned to Rory. "Oh! How is that hottie friend of yours doing?"

--

Tristan looked up from his cards and gave his friend a glare. "Her name's Rory, not the Gilmore chick."

They all met Rory when he invited her to one of their poker nights. She wanted to learn so he decided to bring her along. At the beginning she was reluctant to go, but he coaxed her into going, telling her that she'll learn faster if she actually played a game and not just watch it on TV.

Caleb's eyebrow rose. "Ok, fine. How's Rory?"

"She's fine," Tristan answered.

"So is there anything going on between you two?" Harold asked bluntly.

Tristan took another puff and shook his head. "Nothing's going on between me and Rory," he said.

"Ooh…Someone's in denial," James commented.

"I'm not denying anything. It's the truth." He placed his bet on the table, wondering where his friends' questions came from.

"Don't tell me you haven't even considered going out with her." It was Caleb this time who spoke.

He looked at his friends. "Why the hell are you all interested to know?"

Harold shrugged his shoulders. "We're just wondering how come you haven't hooked up with her yet. We know you're a ladies' man and could get any girl, so why not this one?"

"Because she drives me nuts." He thought for a moment."And besides we want different things in a relationship."

"And yet you're friends with her."

"Yes, that's right. I'm just friends with her, " he said, emphasizing the word 'friend'.

James laughed. "That's bullshit. You don't have female friends."

--

"Who?" Rory asked, her blue eyes wide.

"Tristan. Duh!" Emma exclaimed. "Please don't tell me you never noticed how hot he is.

Rory lifted a shoulder. "He's ok, I guess."

They first saw him during a movie night. She and Tristan were watching Pirates of the Caribbean when Lydia broke up with her boyfriend. She showed up in Rory's apartment, sniffling. Soon the others came, trying to comfort the distraught Lydia, and Tristan watched them. The girls of course noticed him, and after introductions were made, Tristan gave a few words of comfort then left. Rory had apologized the following day, but Tristan waved it off.

Lydia gave her a look. "He's ok? Just ok? Come on! He's cute and he's got a nice body!"

Another shrug. "Well, yes, he is hot. Very attractive."

Lydia licked the ice cream from her spoon. "So is there something going on between you?"

Rory was about to take a sip of her coffee but almost spilled it before it reached her mouth. "Uh, no."

"Why not? I think you look cute together," Eleanor stated in a matter of fact tone.

"Well lots of reasons," she answered, finally taking a sip of the warm ambrosia.

"Which are?"

"I don't know, we're just not..." she said, trying to explain but couldn't. "We're just friends."

Eleanor snorted. "Right."

--

Tristan glared at his friends. "Why are we talking about this?"

"Ooh…touchy!"

Caleb regarded Tristan. "So, would it be all right if I ask her out on a date?"

And there was silence. Everyone waited for Tristan's response.

Tristan wasn't sure what he felt at that moment. But he knew that it should be fine that his friend wanted to ask Rory out. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I won't let you treat her like how you treat other women."

"I won't do that to her."

Tristan raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Tell me; are you ready to be in a serious relationship? Are you ready for a long term commitment? Are you looking for someone who would want to stick around forever?" he asked thinly.

Caleb was speechless, his mouth opening and closing, grasping for something to say. "I…Well…"

"Then no. You're not the one she wants."

--

"It's true."

"Ok. Ok. So what if you're friends? Can't friends turn into something more?" Emma asked.

Rory started to fidget with her napkin. "Yes, it's possible, but Tristan...he's not what I'm looking for. We don't have the sames wants in a relationship."

Lydia face broke into a smile. "So would it be all right if I date him?"

Rory could feel the tension as Lydia waited for her response. Not only Lydia but also everyone else on the table. It should be fine, shouldn't it? They were both her friends and she wants them to be happy. Who knows? They might hit it off. "Well, I guess it depends on what kind of guy you're looking for and what you want in a relationship," she answered carefully.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just that Tristan right now isn't into commitment. He's not yet ready and I know for a fact that you want someone who's serious, who's going to stick around," she explained, trying to be convincing.

"I know, but it won't hurt to try."

Rory was usually supportive of her friend's decisions, but this time she just couldn't because she knows that Emma will end up getting hurt. "Let's say you've been going out for months, and suddenly he tells you that he's not yet ready and he's not into commitment, what then?"

When Lydia didn't say anything, she continued. "I just don't think his type is what you want."

--

Best thing about being single? Doing anything you want anytime, anywhere.

The light from the TV flickered on Tristan's face as he focused his gaze on the screen. The door to his balcony was open, letting the cool night air come in.

He took a swig of his beer and sat on his favorite couch and propped his feet on the coffee table. The Jazz and Rockets battled for the semifinals spot, and his money was on the Rockets.

He settled into his seat and watched the game start when there was a knock on the door. Frowning, he turned and looked at the door, wondering on who would be calling on a Sunday night. There was another set of raps and he unfolded himself from his comfortable position and peeked on peephole. He was surprised to see Rory on his doorstep since she usually didn't visit him unannounced.

Rory heard footsteps from inside the apartment then found herself looking up at Tristan. His hair was tousled as if he ran his hand through them and he had a five o' clock shadow, a clue that told her he hadn't shaved that morning. For a moment she wondered what it would feel like against her skin, on her cheeks, on her fingertips. Suddenly, she was blushing. "What's wrong? What did you do?" she suddenly heard him ask.

She shook her head, both to clear her thoughts and denying whatever he was accusing her of. "Nothing, I didn't do anything." Whatever crossed her mind a few minutes ago, she pleaded temporary insanity and extreme boredom. He moved so she could enter and showed herself to the living room.

His place was a typical male's flat with a couch in black leather, flat TV screen, stereo, and DVD player. There were books on the side table, _The Economist_ and _Reader's Digest_ magazines on the coffee table, and a soccer ball on the floor under the dining chair. At least he didn't have underwear lying around, a tendency she should soon learn how to break. Surprisingly, his black marbled kitchen was pretty clean considering that he liked to cook.

"What are you doing here?" Tristan asked. "Is everything all right?"

Rory took a seat on the couch. "Yup, everything's fine."

"So…what brings you here?"

She suddenly felt as though she was interrupting something, and she was pretty sure she was. She looked at the TV screen and almost cringed. "Sorry. Do you want me to leave?"

"No, no. I was just wondering why you're here."

Rory grinned triumphantly. "Hah! I knew you couldn't resist me."

Tristan leaned towards her, close enough that he could see every freckle dusting her nose and cheeks. "You got me right there. What do you suggest we do about it?"

She felt her face heat up as she inhaled. He smelled like soap and musk. She had always liked it when guys smelled nice. It made her think of snuggling and hugging on a cold day. "Nothing."

"Then you shouldn't have come, Mary. 'Coz I just can't help but want you, kiss you, touch you. You're playing with fire," he whispered.

She couldn't look at him, so she averted her gaze. "You're kidding, right?"

Noticing that she was already feeling uncomfortable, he moved away and gave her a mysterious smile. "That, my dear, you'll never know." He stood up and sat on the other seat. "So what brings you on this fine day to my humble abode?"

"I'm bored," she complained, whining like Lorelai.

Tristan looked at her. "What do you want me to do?"

"Entertain me. Let's watch DVDs!" she said, holding up a bag of DVDs.

"All right."

She almost jumped in elation. "Yah--"

"After the game."

And just as quickly, all traces of excitement fell from her face. "After the game? Can we please do it now?" she pouted prettily, smiling at him.

He chuckled. She was being a brat, but she sure did know how to use her charms. He will not give in. He would not give in. Chanting it to himself seemed to help. "Sorry, Rory. I really want to watch this game. Look, after the game we can watch whatever movie you pick."

She nodded. "Ok. Deal!"

Bargain and diplomacy. Such powerful tools. It gets you want you want.

"Do you want anything to eat? Drink?" he asked, playing the good host.

She leaned back against her seat, preparing to be bored out of her mind watching basketball. "Later during halftime."

They watched the game and slowly, Rory found herself fascinated with the game. There were fancy moves. Dunk, three points, pass, and free throw were the only terms she understood. A player in dark jersey was aiming for three points when the referee blew his whistle. "What's happening?" she asked.

"There was a foul. The other guy hit him when he was trying to block the ball."

"Oh." Three free throws later, she had another question. "How come this time it's three free throws? Earlier it was two?"

"Because it was supposed to be a three-point shot, and since he missed it and there was a foul, he gets three free throws."

"Each free throw is one point, right?"

Tristan's mouth lifted, amusement and amazement dancing in his eyes. "Yes, young Padawan." In the next minutes, she continued to ask questions and he willingly tried to explain everything. He should find it annoying, but surprisingly, he didn't. He knew she hated sports and he was glad that he could help her somehow understand it even just a little.

Halftime came and Rory was getting accustomed to the game called basketball. There still was no way she'd play the game or watch it willingly every day, but she realized that it could be…exciting. She was starting to understand what the craze was all about.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"What are you having?" She stood and went to the kitchen, Tristan following behind her.

"It's Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich tonight." He went to the fridge and took out the ingredients he needed.

Rory scrunched her nose. "That sounds healthy."

Tristan gave her a grin. "Because it _is_ healthy. It's grilled and it has vegetables." He turned on the griller and waited for it to heat up.

"Vegetables? That's green and I don't eat anything green."

"You eat green M&Ms."

Rory crossed her arms over her chest. "But that's different. It's candy and it covers the yummy chocolate inside."

Tristan turned and leaned both hands on the counter. "Come on, Rory. You need to eat healthy once in a while. You can't live on junk food forever."

"Yes, I can. My mom did and she's fine right now."

"Just try it. You might like it," he coaxed. "If you don't want the vegetables, you can remove them."

"Oh all right!" she conceded."She watched him move around in his kitchen. He looked comfortable in whatever he was doing, unlike her, who only knew how to boil water. Effortless. "Is there anything I can do?"

He knew she didn't know how to cook, but he didn't want her to feel useless. "Sure. Why don't you slice some tomatoes and chop some lettuce?" He took out the chopping board and the knife.

Rory went to stand beside him. She didn't know why she volunteered to help him. She was a disaster in the kitchen.

Tristan knew Rory was tense, he could feel her uncertainty. "Here. I'll show you." He held the tomato in his left hand and the knife in his right. "Make sure that the knife is angled away from you and your fingers are tucked under your knuckles," he explained as he sliced until there were pieces of sliced tomato. "Your turn."

She nervously positioned her hands and fingers, and then slowly, started moving the knife, slicing the tomato. But her hands shook and it was driving him crazy and started to make him nervous. "Here." He took her hands in his and guided her movements.

When her hands finally steadied, Tristan released her hands and let her continue with the task on her own. "Yes, that's it," he encouraged, watching her. He couldn't help but find her delightful as she bit her lip and crinkled her nose in concentration. She gave a triumphant smile as soon as there was enough for two sandwiches.

"There!" she said with a giddy grin on her face, as if she accomplished a difficult feat.

Tristan grinned back. "Nice work, Mary," he said and went to check on the chicken.

She couldn't stop smiling, especially when he had called her Mary. She noticed that he only called her that when he teased her and moments like this, when there were only the two of them.

"Why don't you put the tomatoes and the lettuce on the bread? The chicken will be ready in a few minutes." He glazed the chicken then turned them.

She moved did her task happily. "Where did you learn all of these?"

"Iron Chef."

Ten minutes later they were once again sitting in front of the TV, watching the game, with their food. "This better be good." Rory said, preparing to have a bite of her sandwich.

"It will, I promise."

And he was right. She liked the combination of sweet and tangy taste of the glazed chicken and tomato. "Mmm…this is good!" she said, surprised. She took another bite.

He smiled smugly. "Told you."

When the game was over, Rory stood and got some more coffee. From position in the kitchen, she saw stretched his arms above his head. His shirt had ridden up and she could see his hard stomach ripple as he moved. Her knees almost buckled. She suddenly remembered what she and her friends talked about last night. Did Tristan wear boxers of briefs? They dared her to find out, but she couldn't. Now she _was_ curious.

He didn't seem to be a fan of super low waist jeans that showed his underwear. His jeans were pretty low now, but she didn't see even a hint of his boxers…or briefs. A thought crossed her mind, and unconsciously her eyebrows rose and a smile tugged at her lips. What about commando? She shook her head, smiling at that thought.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare?" Tristan called out, smirking at her. "I know I have a nice body and all, but no need to ogle. I know you want to jump me."

Narrowing her eyes. "In your dreams, Tristan."

Tristan's smirk intensified. "Day and night, Mary," he said then turned to the TV.

Rory just shook head and went over to him so they could start the movie.

--


	6. Glad It Was You

**DISCLAIMER:** Gilmore Girls isn't mine. All characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB.

AN: Sorry for not updating, been pretty busy. Thanks so much to **M** for beta-ing. Congratulations on your baby boy:)

**When You Least Expect It**  
**06: Glad It Was You**

The place was well lit and the atmosphere was friendly and energetic. Rory clutched her bag as she waited for the facilitator to start the activity. Everyone was dressed to impress; girls in dresses or skirts, and guys were in slacks and jackets. She wasn't sure how her friends managed to convince her to join a speed dating service. This wasn't something she would do, but it wouldn't hurt to try in once, she told herself.

Fifteen minutes later, she found herself sitting across the small table from a man, who was actually quite attractive. Too bad he looked quite…mature for Rory.

Ding. Next guy please.

He was quite tall. He was blonde and had blue eyes. "Hi," he said. "I'm Frank."

Rory returned the smile. "Hi, I'm Rory."

"Hello, Rory. So…"

Five minutes into their date, she already knew the cause of his breakup with his last girlfriend. At least he didn't start to cry. The wife had left him and their 8 year-old daughter for another man. Rory wasn't exactly sure what to do. She could only sympathize and listen to the man talk. But all Rory was able to tell about herself…her name.

Switch!

Straight white teeth, nice smile, wavy brown hair. He was nice, polite, and shy. Not that it was a bad thing but he just reminded her too much of Dean. For the next eight minutes, they talked and Rory found herself smiling. He was an architect and also lived in the Boston area. When he talked, he made gestures with his hands that made Rory notice them. They were large and had long fingers with clean nails.

Candidate number X please…

The next hadn't exactly made an impact on her. He was tall on the lanky side. But he liked books and movies…definitely plus points in her book. So what if he didn't have perfect teeth? She could live with that.

And it went on and on…until it was time to deliberate.

--

Rory unlocked her door to her apartment, and then threw her bag on the couch on her way to the kitchen to get some coffee. Tonight wasn't actually so bad. Although there were some who she really didn't think she would ever go out with, there were others who were interesting.

As soon as she poured coffee into her mug, the phone rang. She let it ring and let her machine get it. After the beep, she heard her mother's voice. "Rory? Rory, are you there? Come on! Answer the phone!"

Letting out a sigh, she picked up the phone. "Yes, mother."

"So how's my darling daughter? How was that speed dating thing?"

Rory shrugged. "It was alright," she said, then told Lorelai everything. Of course Lorelai couldn't help but make sarcastic comments about every guy. "So do you think there could be something with that Dean-look-alike?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you have that spark?"

Rory took a sip of her coffee. "Well, he was one of the interesting ones. And he's kinda cute, too!"

"What kind of cute? Josh Hartnett dorky cute? Or Heath Ledger hunky cute. How about Jensen Ackles boy next door cute?"

"I'd say he's a Ashton Kutcher cute."

Lorelai squealed. "Really? Rory! So you don't think he's interested in you?"

"Geez! I don't know mom. I mean we only talked for eight minutes."

"But you should definitely know. There are got to be vibes or something. Like what happened in Serendipity. You know, they saw each other then bam! Chemistry!"

"Oh, well I really don't know mom." There was a wail in the background. "Oops. I have to go. I have to feed your baby brother," Lorelai said.

Rory smiled. She missed her family; especially her mom even thought they talked to each other practically every week. "Ok. Give Dad, Gigi, and Adam a kiss for me."

"All right. Bye. I love you."

"I love you too."

They hung up the phone and went to her bedroom to change into her pajamas. She settled into her bed and she saw Tristan's copy of Fever Pitch. Grabbing the book, she thought of where Tristan might be. It was no doubt that he was out that night with his friends, living the life of a bachelor. She was about to call him, but thought otherwise. She didn't wan to bother him, so instead she read until she yawned, then went to sleep.

--

"Come on Tristan, please," Rory implored.

"How come Lydia or your other friends aren't going with you?"

"Because they'll all be busy that night," she pouted.

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that I won't busy?" he asked.

Rory bit her lip. "Well, that's why I'm asking you now. It's still a weeks away! I know how busy your social calendar is," she said exasperatedly. Tristan had made a lot of friends in just a short period of time. He liked to go out and meet new people, and women flocked to him like ants to sugar.

Tristan never really knew what was so great about going to the carnival. But then, it wasn't part of his activities as a youth. He sighed. "Ok."

Rory jumped and squealed, launching her self into Tristan. "Thank you!"

Surprised, Tristan gave her a one-armed hug. "Why would you want to go to a carnival anyway?" he asked."

"I used to go to the Stars Hollow carnival every year until I started going to Yale. So I'd really love to go. I really miss it. It'll be fun, I promise!" she said in one breath, leaning against the cushions of the seat.

And that was how Tristan found himself a week later. The carnival they went to was in a small town half an hour away from Boston. There were kids running around, teenagers strolling about, cotton candy, popcorn, clowns, game booths, rides, and everything one expected from a carnival.

The air was cool and the sky was clear, it was a perfect night for stargazing, for moon watching. It was a perfect night for a date. But Tristan and Rory weren't. If they were, Tristan would have taken Rory's hand in his or put his arm around her waist. If they were, Rory would have snuggled against Tristan, borrowing some of his warmth or would let Tristan put his arm around her.

Instead they settled on walking while eating junk food, oohing and aahing over the things they saw. Tristan watched as Rory enjoyed her cotton candy. "Having fun, Mary?"

Rory nodded her head. "Uh hmm. I just love the carnival!"

Tristan smirked. "Admit it, you just love it coz you're with me."

"Right. Of course that's the reason," she shot back, deadpanned. Suddenly her eyes lit up. "Ooh Ferris wheel!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the ride. "Let's go ride!"

Tristan scrunched his nose. "We're riding the Ferris wheel?" he asked letting himself be lead by Rory.

"Why? What's wrong with riding the Ferris wheel?"

"Nothing. It's such a girly ride."

"It is not!" Rory said indignantly. "You're just scared…are you?"

He gave her a "you've got to be kidding" look. "Of course not. It's boring. And next thing I know, you'll be asking me to go with you to the Merry Go Round." Soon, he was sitting beside Rory in one of the carriages of the Ferris wheel.

"Stop being a whiny brat and just enjoy the ride," Rory said sweetly. The wheel started moving and they found themselves going up. The scene before them was beautiful. Everything was dark except for the city lights; like stars in a midnight sky. "It's pretty!" she breathed.

Tristan nodded. "It is actually." It was nice…sitting beside Rory, sharing each other's warmth. There was a time when he couldn't imagine ever being friends with Rory Gilmore, especially when they were back at Chilton. There was the Paris debacle, his hatred for her then boyfriend and the trouble he caused, and of course the PJ Harvey incident. He would never forget that day at the courtyard when she just about yelled in front of everyone that she hated him. Heartbroken he wasn't; but he felt pain, deep and sharp in his chest, and then surrounded his entire body.

Then he was sent away. He was actually sorry that he had to leave; but life goes on. He knew that the chance of seeing her again was close to nil until that night at the party. Now they were friends. They enjoyed each other's company even when they were just reading together or sitting beside each other talking about nothing.

Of all the people from his past that he had to see again, he was glad it was Rory.

"Has anyone from the speed dating called you?" he asked.

"No."

"Don't worry. They're all losers for not wanting to get to know you better."

"It's ok. I'm not devastated or anything. And why? Do I look desperate?"

Tristan pretended to think. "Well…yeah!"

Rory turned in her seat. "Really?" she asked, biting her bottom lip.

"I'm kidding, Ror!"

Soon, the ride was over and they got off. "That was nice," Rory said, smiling.

Tristan smiled right back. "It's my turn to pick."

"As long as it's not going to make me throw up my dinner, it's fine."

"Ok. Let's go to the Haunted House."

She stopped in her tracks. "The Haunted House?" she squeaked.

He grinned. "Yup."

"Can we do something else?"

"What? You're scared Mary?" he teased.

"No, I'm not!" She crossed her arms. "I would just rather do something else."

Tristan started walking to the Haunted House. "No, come on. You already had your fun in the Ferris wheel. It's my turn."

"Fine!" she stomped after him.

Tristan bought tickets. While waiting in line and Rory started wringing her hands. "Come on, Ror, it'll be fine," he said, gently unclasping her hands from their tight grip.

"I know!" Rory never liked going to Haunted Houses at carnivals. She wasn't a scaredy cat. But she had to admit that she wasn't the bravest girl in the lot.

Then it was their turn to go into the house with their group. It was dim inside, with only red and orange lights and the sound of an organ being played echoed through the house. Fake cobwebs lined the ceiling, while plastic masks with painted blood were hanging. A door opened then slammed shut, making Rory grab onto Tristan's hand. "It's ok. I'm here," he whispered.

Walking deeper into the house, they saw life like spooks; a woman with her head in her hands, a man with a knife pierced into his skull with blood running down his head and face, and an old hunchback with a severely deformed face, holding a walking stick. Thinking that it was only wax, Rory reached out and touched its arm. Suddenly, the spook came to life and started hobbling to her while making deep growling sounds from its throat. It started making motions with its walking stick and Rory buried her face in Tristan's chest as she shrieked.

Tristan chuckled and wrapped his arm around her back. He could feel her tremors and held her tighter. Leading her away to the last chamber, they saw a group of teenagers laughing and pushing each other out of the Haunted House. They followed them out and once they were outside, he let go of Rory. "Hey, you ok?"

Rory wasn't the clingy type. In fact she hated clingy girls, but this time, she couldn't help what happened back there. The spook looked so real and when it touched her, its hands were icy. She regained her senses. "Yup, I'm ok now." A breath. "Sorry about that."

"You don't have to be sorry for anything."

She nodded then smiled. "Thanks!" she said shyly.

"Ok." He saw that her face was flushed and he laughed. "Come on. Let me win you a cheesy prize," he said as he pulled her to the shooting booth. "It'll make you feel better. And it's my way of saying sorry for making you go to the Haunted House."

"I wasn't that bad!" Rory said, affronted then walked with him to the game booth.

"I didn't say it was." He gave the teenager a dollar and he was given three darts. There were small balloons stuck on a corkboard and he had to pop three. Rory watched Tristan concentrate, his eyes were focused and his hands steady. She couldn't help but notice the muscles on his arms flex as he aimed then threw the dart. It went straight to the balloon, and the balloon burst.

"Nice!"

"Of course," he said cockily, and Rory just rolled her eyes. "One of these days, your ego is going to get you in trouble."

Tristan just laughed then turned his attention back to the balloons in front of him. He aimed then shot, and did it again until he got two more balloons. Rory's eyes widened. "Wow! Military School sure did you some good."

"Yeah, it actually did."

Tristan took the adorable brown stuffed bear from the man then handed it to Rory. "Thanks, Tristan."

"You're welcome." He stuffed his hands in his pocket. "So what's next?"

Rory hugged the bear to her chest and looked around. "Well, how about the roller coaster?" she suggested. Then we can get hotdogs?

"You're hungry again? You just ate a bucket of popcorn and cotton candy! Where do you put all your food?"

"My mom and I were blessed with fast metabolism."

"I see that," he said, appraising her. "Let's go. The roller coaster is waiting for us. Last to get there is a chicken shit." He started running followed by a scurrying Rory.

"Ugh! You sneaky evil person!" she yelled after him. When she finally caught up with him, she said. "You know I don't do sports and anything to do with it. Ergo, I don't like running."

"You were running? Geez! I thought you were walking."

Rory slapped him in his arm. "Whatever!"

Being childlike, running and playing like kids, it was good for the heart and soul.

--

That night, she laid in bed, hugging Mr. Cuddles, her teddy bear Tristan had won for her.

She smiled. If someone told her in high school that she and Tristan would be friends, she would have laughed at their face. She still couldn't believe that this man beside her was the same cocky rich bad boy from Chilton. She tried so hard to ignore him, but tried even harder to make her life a living hell. He caused trouble between her and her then boyfriend Dean; and between her and Paris. And she would never forget that day when he said good bye to her. He got in trouble when he went through his friend's dad's safe and he was shipped off to Military School. He looked sad, lonely, and sorry. She thought sadly how it would be the last time she would hear him call her Mary.

And so she went on with her life. She became friends with Paris, graduated at the top of her class, went to Yale instead of Harvard, met and dated Logan until her relationship with him fell apart, then applied for a job at Boston Globe and got in. She thought she would see him one of the parties her grandparents usually threw. It was a pleasant surprise when she saw him that night, and she was glad that they were given a chance to get to know each other and be friends.

Of all the people from her past that she had to see again, she was glad it was Tristan.

--


	7. Shapely Legs and Italian Food

AN: Thanks for all the reviews. And of course, to M, for beta-ing.

**  
**

**When You Least Expect It  
07: Shapely Legs and Italian Food**

"Mom, you have to help me," Rory said as she scanned through her clothes in her closet.

"Where are you going, Little Red Riding Hood?" Lorelai asked.

Rory pulled out a pair of jeans and blue square necked blouse with long sleeves. Shaking her head, she said, "Remember that guy that I told you about? The one I met at the Speed Dating Service, the architect?"

"The one who looked like Dean?"

"Yup that's the one. Anyway, he called and asked me out on a date."

"Really? That's great! So what's the problem?"

"I don't know what to wear."

"Ah. My expertise. Seems like I still have some purpose being your mother at your age," she said. "Why don't you wear your Diane von Furstenberg black and white wrap dress and your black strappy Manolos?"

Rory pulled out the said dress and shoes. "Thanks, mom!"

"Of course! After all, I am such a fashionista."

Rory laughed. "I won't argue with you on that. Well, I have to get ready. I only have an hour and a half to prepare."

"Ok. Have fun! But not too much fun! I wouldn't do anything I would do. And make sure he's no psycho. If he tries anything, hit him where it's gonna hurt."

"Mom!"

"Fine, I'll just call Tristan and ask him to beat the crap out of this guy."

Rory paused. "You actually talk to Tristan?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean do you talk to him on a regular basis?"

"Why?" Lorelai sounded suspicious. "Are you jealous that he might be interested in me?"

Rory scrunched her nose. "No, I think that's just weird."

"Heh. Don't worry, I don't. I just call him when I can't find you or when you don't answer my calls. Seems as though you guys are connected at the hip," she commented.

"No, we're not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, we're not."

"Of course, you are."

Rory sighed. "I'm not going through this with you. Time is ticking and I need to go."

"Hah! I win! "What are you? Five?"

"Tick tock tick tock."

"Ok. Bye." Rory clicked off the phone and went to her bathroom to take a shower.

--

At 7:00 on the dot, her doorbell rang and Rory quickly put on her shoes. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she opened the door. Dean-look-alike, or Michael, stood there, smiling. "Hi," he greeted.

Rory smiled. "Hi." He wasn't exactly handsome, but he was cute. And he looked put-together with his fitted black and white button down shirt, and black pants.

"So are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, just let me get my jacket and bag.

Soon they were on the elevator, and he said. "Nice dress. DVF?"

Rory looked down then turned to him. "Thanks! Yes, it's DVF."

"Thought so."

Rory's brows formed the tiniest furrow. He led her to his BMW and opened the door for her. He got in on the other side and said, "So, I thought we'd go to this nice restaurant and then go to this club that just opened."

She wasn't much of a dancer or a clubber, but it wouldn't hurt to go this time. "That would be nice." Although she wondered how they were going to get to know each other with the loud music.

The restaurant where he took her was quaint. The tables were covered in white table cloth with a candle and flowers on top. The music was relaxing and the light was dim. As soon as they were seated, a sommelier gave Michael their list of wine. Expertly, he ordered a white vintage wine. They were given a few minutes to choose their food.

"So have you thought about what you're having?"

She looked up from the menu. The names of the dishes were in French, but at least they described what they were in English. "Yes, I'll have soup and the grilled salmon please.

"Ok." The waited approached them and Michael gave them their order.

"This is a nice place," she said when the waiter left.

"Yes, it is. The best French restaurant in the city."

Rory just smiled. And this is the time when the small talk began. "So how are you? I remember that you're an architect."

"Yes, I work for Peter and Peter. Great men, really great architects."

"Are you working on some project right now?"

Michael took a sip of his wine. "Yes, I'm working on this building on the East side of the city. We're building a new hotel. Seems like the tourism industry is growing right now."

"Really? That's great!"

"So what about you? You're a writer for the Boston Globe, right?"

"Yes, I do," she said with pride. She loved what she does and she was glad she came back to school and proved Mitchum Huntzberger wrong.

"What do you write about?"

"Everything, but I mostly write about issues. Sometimes though I write about lifestyle and culture as well."

They continued to talk, from their work, a little about their family, friends, and their likes and dislikes. She found out that he liked drawing, he was from Pennsylvania, he disliked Asian and exotic food, and liked reading…magazines, particularly GQ.

Soon, it was over and of course he paid for dinner. They walked outside of the restaurant and waited for the valet to bring his car. Rory noticed that he was looking at her feet. "You have nice feet," he said. "And nice shoes. Are those Manolo Blahniks?" he asked.

Rory gave him an odd smile. "Wow! You're good with women's fashion."

"I try to keep up since I have a lot of lady friends."

Rory wasn't what to think with that. "Oh," was all she could say. She bit her lip, not knowing if she should ask her question. "Um since you know so much about fashion, I was thinking about buying this puce dress. Do you think that it's a weird color for a dress?"

"Not at all. I think the dark brownish tone of the color will suit your coloring."

Another "oh". "Thanks! I might just buy that dress." A black BMW glided in front of them then they took off to the club.

While white lights and laser lights with fast beats in the background, Rory walked behind Michael as they made their way to an empty spot. There were no more tables, the place was packed. People were mingling, drinking, taking, dancing, laughing.

"Do you want anything to drink?" he yelled over the loud music.

"Umm…I'd like a margarita please."

"Ok, wait here. I'll just get our drinks."

He disappeared through the throng of people, and she watched the people around her. Drat! No seats and her feet were killing her. Damn high heels! She looked over at the bar and saw Michael talking to two guys and a girl. Suddenly, she felt someone behind her. "Hey there. What's a beautiful woman like you doing in a place like this…alone."

She whirled around ready to lash out at the person when she came face to face with familiar blue eyes and blond hair. "Tristan!"

"Hey, Rory."

"What are you doing here?"

He smirked. "Well, what do you usually do in a club? And I should be asking you that."

Rory pursed her lips. "I'm on a date with this guy, and it looks like he's forgotten about me. It's been ten minutes since he went to get our drinks."

Tristan raised his eyebrows. "A date? With whom?"

"With this guy I met at the Speed Dating service. What about you? Are you alone?"

"I'm sort of on a date as well…but we're with our friends," he said rolling his eyes. "My friend asked me if I would take her out and unfortunately, she wouldn't take no for an answer."

"I take it that it's not going well."

"It's not the worst date yet, but it's not up there in my best list."

"Here you go," Michael said, handing Rory her Margarita.

"Oh thanks!" she said then introduced the two men. "Michael, this is Tristan, a friend of mine. Tristan, this is Michael.

Michael took a long look at Tristan, from the top of his blond head to the tips of his Gucci loafers, the held out his hand. "Hi."

Tristan took it and said, "Hi."

After the introductions, Michael waved at someone behind Tristan. He turned to them and said, "I hope you don't mind but I'll just say hello to a friend of mine."

"Ok." It should've bothered Rory, but it didn't. Maybe it was because Tristan was there. She was glad that she ran into him. "Where's your date?"

"Honestly, I have no clue. She said she was gonna dance with her friends and she's been gone for 30 minutes."

"Well that sucks."

He shrugged. "It's fine actually. I don't really care."

Rory winced and shifted. Tristan noticed. "What's wrong?"

"My feet are killing me," she whined. "Damn heels!"

His gaze shifted to her feet and nodded. "Those shoes must be killing you." Looking around for an empty table, he saw a group vacate a booth. "Come on. Let's take a seat." His hand went to the middle of her back and he led her to the empty seats.

Rory sat down on the couch and Tristan sat at the low table opposite her. Grasping her right foot, he started to remove her shoe. "What are you doing?" she asked nervously.

"Removing your shoe," he said, and gave her foot a gentle massage, starting with her heel then to the balls of her foot.

Tristan was a leg man, and he was a sucker for dainty feet. Rory had both; the shapely legs and the pretty feet.

Rory blushed but Tristan's hand felt good. The massage he gave her was gentle but firm, and she wondered how it would feel to have him give her a body massage. Mentally shaking her head, she steered clear of those thoughts. "Thanks." Tristan gave the same attention to the other foot. "Maybe you shouldn't wear your sandals first. Let your feet rest. Why are you wearing these anyway?"

"Because they're nice and they my legs and feet look sexy."

"You already have sexy feet and legs even without these shoes," Tristan stated.

Not knowing else what to do, she mumbled a thanks.

Both relaxed and quietly watched the people around them, when an idea struck Tristan. "Hey, do you want to get out of here?" he asked.

Rory looked at him. "What? Where are we going? And what about Michael?"

"I don't know, I thought maybe we can get something to eat. He's still talking to his friend," he said, pointing at the two men by the bar. "Seems like he's enjoying talking to him that hanging out with you, the ass."

Michael was being a jerk and she really didn't care what he thought. She was sure that she was never going to see him again, hanging out with Tristan would be much more fun than going on a date with this guy. "Ok, I'll just say good bye."

Tristan nodded. "Yeah, I'll tell my friends too, and my date."

"I'll meet you in front in five minutes."

Approximately ten minutes later, they were outside of the club, breathing in fresh air. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Your feet? How are they?"

"A bit better." Rory bit her lip. "Tris, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"What shoes am I wearing?"

He gave her a confused look. "What shoes are you wearing?" he asked then once again looked at her sandal clad feet. "Umm…black strappy high heels?"

"No, I mean do you know what brand they are?"

"Uh…is there a point to this question?"

"Just answer it."

"Ralph Lauren?" he said, saying the first designer that popped in his head.

Rory shook her head. "They're Manolo Blahniks. Do you know what color puce is?"

Tristan paused. "Is that a joke?"

Rory laughed, a full carefree laugh. "Oh geez!"

"What?"

"I think Michael's gay." Tristan almost shuddered and she continued. "He knows what dress and the shoes I'm wearing, and he knows the color puce."

He didn't know if he should feel insulted, but he just laughed. "Well I don't know who you're wearing but you look nice."

Blushing for the third time that night, she said softly, "Thanks. You look nice too. I like this color on you." She reached and fixed the collar of his light blue shirt. It brought out the color of his eyes.

"Thanks," he said. "Well I'm sorry your date turned out to be queer," he said shaking his head, laughing.

Rory laughed with him. "It's fine."

"Well at least there's no weird good night kiss."

"Yeah!" she said, shaking her head." Soft wind blew and Tristan reached out, and tucking a hair behind Rory's ear. Her heart did a little skip, but she decided to ignore it and said, "Where to now?"

"I know this Irish-Italian restaurant. It's owned by a friend of mine so we can still go there even though it's a bit late."

"Which one?"

"Da Panza. They have pasta, chicken, steak, and good wine and…coffee."

She squealed in excitement. "So what are you waiting for? Let's go."

Tristan shook his head. He was pretty sure her enthusiasm was due to the mention of coffee. "Do your feet still hurt? Want me to carry you to the car?"

Rory waved her hand. "They're still aching but I'll be fine."

Tristan smiled. "Ok."

The way to a Gilmore girl's heart...good food and coffee...and massages too.

--


End file.
